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Not much learned in 49ers pre-season opener
By Morris Phillips August 14, 2009 |
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The physical training camp that Mike Singletary maintains will make the 49ers tougher didn’t translate into a hard-hitting, more compelling pre-season opener. In fact this sleeper, a 17-16 win for the 49ers, will rank as a ringing endorsement for Commissioner Roger Goodell’s newest project: the approval of the 18-game regular-season schedule. The 49ers defense didn’t deliver any signature hits, the offense didn’t push the Broncos around, and the smallish crowd didn’t shout out any ringing endorsements. The 49ers’ defense did pick off Kyle Orton three times in keeping the Broncos scoreless in the opening half, but even that seemed to be more Denver’s continuing headache, and not the evolution of the defense into the mold of Singletary’s ’85 Bears. Injuries did thin the ranks in the 49ers’ backfield as Zak Keasey left early and Thomas Clayton suffered a significant knee injury. The injuries underscored Singletary’s decision not to play starter Frank Gore and veteran backup Michael Robinson. While vets played sparingly, youngsters made impressions. Glen Coffee, the running back picked in the second round, played most of the opening half and displayed his no-nonsense running approach. Coffee finished the half with 67 yards on 14 carries. Britt Miller, an undrafted rookie fullback, got in early when Keasey left, and scored both of the 49ers’ touchdowns. If nothing else, he showed that he can’t be contained when the defense blows an assignment and leaves him wide open. On both scoring plays, Miller was unattended with Bronco defenders pointing at each other after the play. On Miller’s second score, he rambled in from 40 yards out on a screen play that left him on the right sideline alone. "They had a blitz on and I just kind of drifted back and got it out into the flat, and (Miller) made a great play for me," said third-string quarterback Damon Huard. On the ensuing 2-point conversion, rookie draft pick Bear Pascoe pulled down a Huard throw in a crowd, and that became the difference in the game. The Broncos challenged late when backup quarterback Chris Simms turned a broken play into a 43-yard touchdown throw to Kenny McKinley, who broke free behind the defense at the goal line. But with flight arrangements taking precedent over the outcome of the game, new coach Josh McDaniel opted for a 2-point attempt to win it, but Simms’ throw into the end zone was intercepted. Alex Smith made an inglorious return to the field after missing the entire 2008 season. Smith was sacked on his initial play. But he settled in and finished 5 for 7, 33 yards and a touchdown in a little more than a quarter of play. He moved well, and threw the ball with authority, and showed some better touch on short passes inside that gave him trouble in the past. Afterwards, Singletary was poker-faced about the play of his top two quarterbacks, when asked if either had gained the upper hand in the quest for the starting nod on September 13th in Arizona. “Hill is less of a mystery… You saw what he was able to do at the end of last year. Alex is a capable of some things, but we need to see to what extent (he’s capable),” Singletary said of the competing quarterbacks. Hill played briefly, attempting and completing just two passes, both to Vernon Davis for lengthy gains. Singletary didn’t have much to say of Hill’s play in the game, but he did say that Hill needs to show better accuracy and ability in throwing deep to secure the starting spot. So in the end the 49ers looked… well they looked better than the Broncos. But the Broncos, without Mike Shanahan, Jay Cutler and Brandon Marshall, who was declared innocent in his domestic dispute case earlier on Friday in Atlanta, probably aren’t going to look better than any other NFL team, especially at this early stage of the season. Their program, with new 32-year old coach McDaniel and new defensive coordinator Mike Nolan, probably is a year or two away. Meanwhile the 49ers hope their program is ready to take flight in 2009, but really, we won’t get an indication until the opener against the NFC Champion Cardinals. That’s why pre-season football is played in front of empty seats. Ultimately, it means very little. |
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